Local reps hope they can agree on gun control bill

The gun control bills the Senate is set to take up contain aspects of laws to expand background checks and crack down on gun trafficking that had previously been introduced by New York Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer.

The gun control bills the Senate is set to take up contain aspects of laws to expand background checks and crack down on gun trafficking that had previously been introduced by New York Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer.

The deal that Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., unveiled Wednesday would require background checks for more private sales, but, unlike Schumer's proposal, exempts nonprofit sales between friends and family. Also Wednesday, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, who sponsored the anti-trafficking bill with Gillibrand, announced a deal with the National Rifle Association on a version of the bill that would still make trafficking and straw buys federal crimes, but clarifies that guns can be given out as prizes or gifts.

On Thursday, Gillibrand hailed the deal, but said there is "a lot more to be done."

"Today is another important step forward toward a consensus bill that can pass and save lives," she said. "If we are going to do anything about the gun violence and the gang violence in our state, we have to give the tools to law enforcement to go after these straw purchasers and traffickers."

Federal law now only requires background checks in sales by gun dealers. New York started to require those checks on almost all sales a month ago, as part of the gun-control law passed in January.

Local Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, an outspoken opponent of New York's gun law, said Thursday he was "encouraged" the compromise seemed to target criminals instead of law-abiding citizens. But he's concerned the mental-health provisions in the Manchin-Toomey plan, which say doctors can enter mental-health records into the background check system without breaking privacy laws, could violate due process and dissuade people from seeking help.

"It is my hope that I can ultimately support a bill that makes it tougher for criminals to get guns, while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens in a measure that honors and strengthens the entire Bill of Rights," Gibson said.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, said, "Cracking down on gun trafficking and expanding background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill are bipartisan, commonsense ways to protect our children while preserving rights of responsible gun owners."